Flour Question
 

If tapioca flour, potato starch, corn starch, and arrowroot are all basically interchangeable, then why do recipes call for 2 or 3 of them? Do they each act just a little differently? Or is it more of a flavor thing?

Honestly?... I think those recipes have been made up by people who don't question what they see.

I have taken several recipes that call for these 'multi' starches and made them as the recipe called for and then with only arrowroot... guess what... they turn out exactly the same.

The thing is... a lot of people who make up recipes don't always involve themselves with the 'nutrient value' of the food. They are more taken with the final product and the cost.... maybe a caloric count.

Another thought is that... Maybe they are trying to get the benefit of the arrowroot (if they know about it) but cut down on price by 'cutting' the arrowroot with cheaper starches?

Thanks, Kim.

I hadn't thought about the differences in nutritional value. After doing some checking, they all seem fairly close, with the exception of arrowroot. That does seem to be higher in quite a few things. Sweet! Now I won't have to have umpteen dozen flours and starches roaming around my fridge. :D

As for cost, (well, my cost), they're pretty much the same except tapioca flour is very inexpensive - 14 oz for 59 cents. Everything else is 14-16 oz for $3.50 or more.

I'm not sure they are completely interchangeable, they all have different properties [not really taste, but texture] they bring to party.

Here's one chart from NZ on mixing flours and starches. There list some of the properties. This mixing chart shows grabbing 1 starch from the binding flour column.

http://www.frot.co.nz/dietnet/resources/gluten2.htm

Here's one from the a previous thread that talks about the different properites and uses of starches and thickeners.

http://www.foodsubs.com/ThickenStarch.html


From our experience [Peg's the baker, not me. I'm just the taster], the secret of a good finished product is using a mixture of flours. Most times Peg is using 3-4 different flours in a baked good. Each finished product uses different mixes and different flours. Yes, we have umpteen different flours and starches LOL!

All I know is that extra tapioca flour turns out a softer product in my experience, (especailly for my tortillas). I often "up" that a bit.

I usually use only brown rice, potato starch and tapioca. Occasionally, sweet rice flour.

I've seen great variations in density of flours based upon brands. I find the oriental white rice flour to be much much denser than Bob's Red Mill. I've found Swan's potato starch to be much denser than Bob's Red Mill. Perhaps sifting would make a difference. Who still sifts flour?

In any case, I have found flour can be a huge variable, but...I agree that recipes can be rather forgiving as well in that you don't need exactly the same flours/ amounts as called for. It really is about experimentation. If at first you don't succeed...try, try again!

Cara

Thanks for the sites, Al.

I'd been looking through foodsubs.com but I like the chart at the other site. Gives a little more/different info.

I don't quite understand "soaking flour", but I haven't read through the whole page yet. I do like that they list some of the properties, like "tapioca flour imparts the 'chew factor'." So, I probably wouldn't want to use all tapioca flour in place of the potato starch and the corn starch. I might be chewing for a week. LOL

I'll probably experiment a bit, doing half batches of stuff. Just because I'm stubborn. ;) Then again, that bread recipe is excellent as it is. I mess with it too much, and I'll mess it up. How's that go? Don't fix it if it ain't broke? :)

Cara, we must've been posting at the same time. Sort of. It just took me a while to post. :)

I think I will still experiment a bit anyway. Keeps me out of trouble. Sort of. :p

That's pretty much me and bread. Try again...and again...and again...:rolleyes:

I suspect that's the "chew" factor. If you've ever had Chebe bread/pizza - you'll know what I'm talking about.

Yup - it's one big science experiment! LOL!!!

If it's the recipezaar one, I used all arrowroot for the starches and it was wonderful! :)

Thanks, Kim. Yup, it's the recipezaar recipe. I do want to try it using just arrowroot in place of the tapioca/potato/corn starches. I don't have any right now, so until I get some I'll use up what I have. But I might do half batches and play around with the starches I do have. :)

Do you use arrowroot as the only starch in all your recipes?